The Lady in Red
by 875265
Summary: During the famous, high-energy "Friend Like Me" number, Aladdin sees another girl that catches his eye. Will she become the new Jasmine or will their relationship pop and fizzle out like the illusion it is? As requested by user edowdle.


For as long as Aladdin had been a street rat, this currently was the best thing that ever happened to him. A genie to use at his disposal, offering up free wishes. No end to the wealth, fame and glory. Food for days. Beautiful dancers.

Okay, let's back up a little. At the bottom of the Cave of Wonders - at the bottom at the bottom, like buried underneath the sand of the actual cave at the bottom - Aladdin had rubbed the lamp he got, unintentionally releasing his big blue magical best friend. Aladdin ruminated while Genie illuminated the possibilities, and it was nothing short of spectacular.

After Aladdin had his no-beard shaved off and was treated like the boss, the king and the shah in one sitting, after trying all of Column A and Column B, Genie presented to him three curvaceous dancers in red to have a little fun with for the night. He chose the one in red, the confident girl in front of the trinity. The one he was about to kiss before Genie interrupted him.

"Hey, handsome." She waved coquettishly, her hip cocked to the side. And Aladdin knew that he had found The One.

They held hands and watched the elephants partnered on parade, the sashaying camels, the chorus-line of monkeys and the fireworks in the shape of the palace all orchestrated by Genie.

But after a while, Aladdin began to chafe. Try as he might, all he could see was Jasmine's face from the balcony. But come on - it wasn't _totally_ like he was cheating. He barely knew the girl, who turned out to be a princess by the way, and besides she lied to him first! It was better to have a nameless woman who would have no choice but to tell him the truth whenever he demanded it. Not to mention that he would never have a chance with a princess, no matter how many wishes he possessed.

Genie had been boasting and toasting himself for the last half hour and Aladdin had gone on four different dates with the same girl, who was absolutely scintillating. Over cocktails, she proved smarter than Jasmine, wittier. Jasmine was old news. The girl in red was _more_ fun. _She_ had hair that just, and _her_ smile… And yet. And… that was about it. It wasn't fair. On paper, it was everything he ever wanted in a girl.

 _On paper. Not in real life._

It all came to a head when they were about to finish what they started earlier in the song. They had run away from all the hoopla onto a balcony overlooking Genie's light show. Aladdin leaned in; his eyes dimmed. The girl in red leaned in. And… that was it. When it's someone you love and you're meant to be with, a charge in the air is present; Aladdin was figuring that out. She was a beautiful girl, but there was no charge.

"Okay, what is it," she asked. "You've been quiet since we came up here."

"Well…" Aladdin crimsoned at the truth. He tried to talk but his throat and tongue wouldn't move. How were you to go about breaking up with someone that didn't even exist?

"I know; you got sick from the baklava." She scooted back in a swift motion.

"No - "

"The Genie-faced chicken?"

A laugh whooped out of him. "No, it isn't that."

"Then what's the matter? Aren't you having fun with me?"

"Yeah I am. No, I am…" Aladdin scratched his neck. "It's just…."

The girl rolled her eyes. "You're taken. Emotionally, that is."

Aladdin's head whipped up. "How did you - ?"

"I've been in this line of work for centuries. And by this line of work, I mean making myself available to Genie's new masters to show them what the world potentially has to offer. If they're as cute as you, that is."

"I hope you can understand."

"Trust me - if I were real, this would hurt a heckuva lot worse."

"What?"

It was then that she disappeared into a swirl of smoke. Aladdin whipped around to find Genie giving him a prissy wave. "Hate to interrupt things, but… No I really don't care. HELLO, CAN WE GET TO YOUR THREE WISHES ALREADY? I got plans for September, you know."

"Genie, that's not fair," Aladdin argued weakly. "I didn't even get to ask her name yet."

"Now you know how Jasmine feels. Remember, Jasmine? Remember her? _Woo-oo._ Earth to Aladdin"

To drive home the point, Abu climbed up his shoulder and waved a hand in front of his friend's face. Carpet knocked on his head, which sounded hollow.

"Right. Right. I know." Aladdin shook his head, blinking himself out of whatever-the-heck-he-was-in. "Well, what are we waiting for?" he said, louder than he meant to.

Genie gave him a hearty smile. "Her name was Nabilah, by the way. Good kid, good kid… "

Aladdin nodded, but surprising enough, he didn't care. When he tried to conjure her in his mind, he couldn't even remember what she looked like.

All he could see was Jasmine.


End file.
